Long County Courthouse
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Long County Courthouse
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Photo: Keith Hair
Location: Ludowici
Date Built: 1926
Architectural Style: Neoclassical Revival
Designer: G.M. Harrington
Other Information: Interior renovated in 1974.
County Courthouse Historical Marker: Click
here
County History:
On Aug. 14, 1920, the General Assembly proposed a constitutional amendment
to create Long County from Liberty County (Ga. Laws 1920, p. 48). In that
year's general election, Georgia voters ratified the proposed amendment on
Nov. 2, 1920, which marks the date of Long County's creation (although a
state historical marker on the Long County courthouse grounds incorrectly
cites the county's creation as the day the legislative act proposing the
constitutional amendment was approved).
According to the 1920 constitutional amendment, Long County's boundaries
(see
map) were defined as:
Beginning at a point on the Altamaha River where the same is intersected
by the county line between Liberty and McIntosh Counties; thence northeast
and north along the aforesaid county line between McIntosh and Liberty
to intersection thereof with South Newport River; and to the northwest
corner of McIntosh County, at the point where said Liberty and McIntosh
line is nearest the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad's main line; thence
a straight line northwestward to the main line of the Atlantic Coast Line
Railroad at a point one-half mile southwest of said railroad's depot at
Lambert, Georgia (Post Office) and Walthourville Station; thence due north
a straight line to the Walthourville and Smiley public road, north of Lambert,
Georgia; thence northwestward a straight line to a point in the Ludowici
and Hinesville public road three hundred (300) yards north of the residence
of W. H. Devereaux in the 1756th G. M. District of Liberty County; thence
northwestward a straight line to a point on the Roderick and Hinesville
public road where same is intersected by the Walthourville public road
from the southeast; thence west along the center of said Roderick and Hinesville
public road a short distance to where the Walthourville public road leaves
same towards the northwest; thence northwestwards along the center of said
Walthourville public road past Gum Branch Post Office, old site to intersection
thereof, with the Savannah public road or Beards Bluff public road about
one and one-eighth (1 1-8) miles east of the Cross Roads School House;
thence west along the center of said Savannah public road or Beards Bluff
public road to where said Walthourville public road leaves same going northwest;
thence along the center of said Walthourville public road to intersection
of same with the Moody Bridge public road; thence northwards along the
center of said Moody Bridge public road to the point where same crosses
the Savannah and Southern Railroad right of way at Strain on said railroad
and to the north line of said right of way; thence westward along the north
line of the Savannah and Southern Railroad right of way to the first public
road crossing at Lida depot on said railroad; thence westward along center
of public road from Lida past Bear Branch School House to forks of said
public road; and thence along the center of the northwest fork thereof,
in a northwesterly direction to where said public road crosses the Liberty
and Tattnall County line nearby and east of Hampton School House; thence
southwards and south along the county line between Liberty and Tattnall
to the Altamaha River and to the line between Liberty and Wayne Counties;
thence southeast along the channel of said Altamaha River and along the
county line between Liberty and Wayne to point of beginning.
Why was Long County created by constitutional amendment instead of an
act of the General Assembly? In 1904, Georgia voters had approved a constitutional
amendment limiting the number of counties in the state to 145. The next year,
the General Assembly created eight new counties, bringing the total number
to 145 -- the constitutional limit. Nevertheless, there was continuing pressure
to create more counties. Beginning in 1906, lawmakers got around the 145-county
limitation by creating new counties through constitutional amendments that
were not subject to the limitation. By 1924, Georgia had 161 counties --
16 of which had been created by constitutional amendment. On Jan. 1, 1932,
Milton and Campbell counties merged with Fulton, leaving 159 counties. In
1945, Georgia voters ratified a new constitution -- one which provided an
absolute limit of 159 counties, with an additional provision (see text)
that no new country could be created except through consolidation of existing
counties.
Long County was named for Dr.
Crawford Long, who in 1842 pioneered the use of anesthesia during surgery.
County Seat: Ludowici. The proposed constitutional amendment to
create Long County provided that Ludowici serve as county seat. Incorporated
in 1905, Ludowici was named for a German businessman who settled there and
became successful manufacturing red clay roofing tiles.
Maps
Size of County (Total Area): 403.5 square miles
County Rank in Total Area: 58th out of 159
Population:
Long County
City of Ludowici
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